Colling It In The Ring Reviews: PWG Life During Wartime 7/6/2008

Pro Wrestling Guerrilla presents Life During Wartime
Date: 7/6/2008
From: Reseda, CA

Excalibur announces that Jay Briscoe has been fired by PWG. He says that Briscoe sent them a text message that at 2:30am has an encounter with a guy at a bar, who followed him home and didn’t know if he should leave. Thus, PWG had to eat the $550 plane ticket and Jay will no longer compete in PWG. Roderick Strong comes out and Excalibur suggests that Strong can give the belts back or defend the PWG World Tag Team Championships. Strong will defend the belts by himself. Strong calls out El Generico, who was going to wrestle Jay Briscoe. Roderick asks Generico to be his partner for the title defense tonight. Roderick says that he will give Generico and Kevin Steen a title shot if Generico accepts. El Generico accepts the offer.

Opening Contest: Arik Cannon vs. Brandon Bonham: Cannon attacks before the bell. Bonham dropkicks Cannon to the floor and takes Cannon out with a somersault dive over the top! Brandon hits a slingshot crossbody back into the ring but Arik kicks out at two. Cannon yanks Brandon down and chokes him with his t-shirt to get the advantage. Arik drives Bonham down to the canvas with a delayed vertical suplex. Bonham rolls through a sunset flip to kick Cannon in the head. Cannon hits a swinging neckbreaker but Brandon kicks out at two. They go to the floor where Arik fakes out the fans acting like he was going to toss Bonham into the chairs, but doesn’t. They trade kicks and are both men are knocked out. Bonham tosses Cannon off the middle rope to hit a double stomp to the back of his head for a two count. Arik knocks Brandon silly with a clothesline and gets a two count following a twisting brainbuster. Bonham nails Arik with a running dropkick in the corner but fails to get a three. Bonham plants Arik with a tornado DDT and hits a Canadian Destroyer to win the match! (**3/4. A fine opening match to the show. It may have dragged on a little too long, but I liked the finish and Cannon is a great heel. Cut maybe two minutes from this match and it would’ve been better.)

Second Contest: TJ Perkins & Hook Bomberry vs. Charles Mercury & Mikey Nicholls: I only know of Perkins, so I don’t know what to expect here. Perkins and Mikey open the match. Perkins is controlling the larger Mikey with mat wrestling based offense. Mikey stops Perkins with a dropkick and Mercury tags into the bout. Hook tags in and the fans go nuts for a side headlock. Mercury tries for a dropkick but Hook avoided it. Perkins knocks Mercury off the top rope and hits Mikey with a spinning heel kick. Mercury is double teamed but kicks out of a pin by Hook. Perkins hits a slingshot senton splash on Mercury while Hook has his knees digging into his back. Mercury continues to be worked over by his opponents and suffers a few double team moves. Mikey gets the hot tag and cleans house with clotheslines. Mikey drives Perkins down with a Samoan Drop for a near fall. Perkins kicks Mikey off the apron and Hook hits a spinning neckbreaker. Perkins gets a two count after a top rope frog splash. Mikey and Mercury both dive to the floor to take Perkins and Hook out. Mikey almost pins Perkins with a school boy. Mikey hits a crossbody off the top on Perkins but Hook rolls Perkins on top and they get the win. (**1/4. Well, that dragged on a lot as well. I lost interest in it after the double dive to the floor, really. Plus, not knowing three out of the four guys made it difficult to really get into it.)

Third Contest: Phoenix Star vs. Claudio Castagnoli: Star arm drags Claudio to the floor but is caught and powerbombed onto the apron! Claudio is using his strength advantage to just toss Star around. Star is able to head scissor Claudio down and soon arm drags Claudio, but he isn’t able to get consistent offense going. Claudio counters a leapfrog with a backbreaker and a gut buster! Claudio gorilla press slams Star but can’t get a victory. Castagnoli delivers a chokeslam for a two count. Star clotheslines Claudio to the floor and hits a springboard top rope moonsault! Star gets a two count after a springboard shoulder block. Star rolls Claudio up out of the corner and gets a two count. Castagnoli with the giant swing which sees Claudio do twenty revolutions and wins the match. (**1/4. There were a few decent spots in this one, but again I didn’t think it was anything special.)

Fourth Contest: Necro Butcher vs. Kikutaro in a Necro Butcher Rules Match: Kikutaro wastes no time in going to the floor to get a chair, and Butcher is handed one as well. Butcher puts down his chair after Kikutaro backs off with his chair. Well, they are doing the most basic of offense to start the match. They go to the floor after Butcher stomps Kikutaro and sends him into the ring post. Butcher drives a chair into his opponent’s throat. Butcher rams Kikutaro head first into a chair that are held by fans. Necro scoop slams Kikutaro onto a chair for a near fall. Kikutaro dropkicks a chair into Necro’s face. Kikutaro DDT’s Necro onto a chair, but seems to take the brunt of the force as he lands back first on the chairs. They proceed to trade blows on their knees. Now they are sitting in chairs where Necro knocks Kikutaro out with a right hand for a near win. Kikutaro hits a back suplex onto three chairs. Kikutaro wants the fans to toss their chairs in and eventually the fans toss their chairs in but Kikutaro is knocked out by the chairs! The referee calls for the bell and Necro wins. (*1/2. Not my type of match here. It was a comedy match with a little bit of hardcore stuff, but I didn’t find it funny.)

Fifth Contest: The Young Bucks vs. Kazma & Miyawaki vs. The Dynasty: Ryan and Lost attack the Young Bucks from behind and turn their focus towards Kazma and Miyawaki. Kazma knocks both Dynasty members to the floor. The Bucks dropkick Kazma to the floor as well. Nick snaps Miyawaki over with a hurricanrana and the Bucks hit a double seated dropkick for a near fall. The Bucks hit a nice gut buster/neckbreaker combo on Miyawaki for a near fall. Miyawaki is able to take the Bucks out with a pair of suplexs. Lost tags in after slapping Miyawaki. Kazma tags in and begins to trade slaps with Matt and he easily wins that battle. Kazma drives Matt down with nice sit out spinebuster for a near fall. Kazma brutally splashes Matt in the cornet two times! Matt continues to be worked over as everyone comes in and they lock in trail of head scissors until Kazma locks in a Boston Crab on Matt to spin everyone over! Matt counters a wheelbarrow by spinning Ryan over and Joey lands chest first on the canvas. Nick gets the tag and cleans house with dropkicks on the Dynasty. Nick knocks both Kazma and Miyawaki to the floor. Lost is backdropped to the floor by Nick. Nick does a cartwheel and moonsaults Lost on the floor! Holy crap, Nick twists over the top to take Lost out with another dive. Ryan spears Matt and hits a powerbomb for a near fall! Miyawaki and Kazma hit a side slam/neckbreaker on Joey for a two count. Lost is dropped on his face by the Bucks and Matt delivers a gut buster for a near fall. Nick is tossed off the top and Lost hits an ace crusher for a two count. Kazma is dropkicked to the floor by Nick. Lost hits Kazma with an ace crusher on the floor! Nick hits a 450 splash and Matt moonsaults Miyawaki! Matt is able to backdrop Ryan and wins the match! (***1/2. I really enjoyed that one. There was a good deal of comedy, which wasn’t over the top at all, and great action throughout. A nice triple threat match.)

Sixth Contest: Chris Bosh vs. Scorpio Sky: This is Bosh’s last appearance in PWG. He retired in 2007 but is making a one-time appearance here to take on his former partner, Scorpio Sky. They trade quick pin attempts in the opening minutes but neither man has gotten a clear advantage. Sky hits a hurricanrana and locks in an ankle lock quickly but Bosh reaches the bottom rope. Bosh gets a near fall following a fisherman suplex. Sky gets a near fall after a jawbreaker across his knee. Sky drops Bosh across his knee head first but can’t put him away. Bosh punches Sky in the groin after Sky got distracted by the referee. The fans go nuts for that spot. Bosh whips Sky across his back from behind and a fist drop for a near fall. Bosh catches Sky on a springboard to hit a backbreaker for a two count. Sky nails Bosh with a missile dropkick for a near fall and soon locks into the Rings of Saturn! Bosh reaches the ropes to break the hold, though. Sky takes Bosh out on the floor with a twisting dive over the top! Bosh is able to plant Sky with a tornado DDT on the floor from the ring! Bosh hits the Stunner and a backbreaker on Sky for a near fall. Sky hits a superplex and a dropkick for a two count. Sky connects with a top rope hurricanrana and a combo of a neckbreaker/backbreaker for a two count. Holy shit, Bosh hits the Steiner Screwdriver but Sky kicked out at two! Sky surprises Bosh with an ace crusher and has the dragon sleeper locked in! Bosh gets out of the hold with knee strikes but Sky hits another crusher for a near fall. Sky gets yet another near fall after a reverse hurricanrana. Bosh blocks a top rope frog splash by getting his knees up. Sky hits another crusher and locks in the dragon sleeper to win the match. (***. A good match here as it really picked up after Bosh hit Sky in the groin. I feel odd saying that, but it is true. They did a lot of high impact moves and kept my interest throughout.) After the match, Sky embraces Bosh and the fans applaud both men.

Seventh Contest: PWG World Tag Team Champions El Generico & Roderick Strong vs. Tyler Black & Jimmy Jacobs: Black and Strong kick off the title bout. Strong is worked over by Black and Jacobs with Jimmy hitting a top rope double axe handle, but is quickly slammed by Roderick. Generico tags in and after a chop, Jacobs takes his sweet time recovering from it. Jacobs sends Strong into his corner and Black gets a few cheap shots in. Black tags back in and hammers away on Roderick. Strong gets a two count after a dropkick on Black and tags out to Generico. Black comes off the ropes and is met with a leg lariat from Generico. Tyler is being worked over by Strong who hits a fall away slam and Generico hits a nice split legged moonsault. Jimmy holds Generico as he went up top and Black is able to catch Generico in midair. Tyler promptly tosses Generico to the floor where Jacobs delivers a few shots after being tagged in. Jimmy comes off the apron to hit an elbow drop. Black drives Generico into his corner to keep the advantage of the match. Black tags in to hit a slingshot legdrop from the apron for a near fall. AOTF control Generico with a double team choke to keep Generico under control. Generico tries to make the tag but Black yanks Strong off the apron and they hammer away on Generico. Strong gets tagged in soon enough and he cleans house with right hand and a suplex on Jacobs. Black is nailed by Strong with a leg lariat. Black trips Strong from the floor but Generico jumps off Strong’s back to take Black out with a dive on the floor! Strong hits a backbreaker but Jimmy refuses to stay down. Generico climbs to the top rope and hits a crossbody for a near fall of his own. Jimmy avoids a kick from Generico and hits a spear for a two count. Black hits a springboard clothesline on Generico for a two count. AOTF hit a double dropkick on Generico who was put in a tree of woe! The fans are calling Jacobs a rooster and a chicken because of his mohawk haircut. Generico hits a sit down slam and looks to tag in Strong. Black and Strong are tagged in and they trade blows. Strong hits a nice gut buster and a Tiger Driver for a near win! Jacobs tags in and pokes Strong in the eyes from the apron. Strong has Jacobs and hits a superplex. Generico hits a big splash and Strong covers a for a two count! Jacobs is kicked several times by the champs and Black saves his partner. Black drops Strong with a jumping reverse DDT but Generico kicks Black and goes for the brainbuster on the top but Jacobs low blows him and Black hits the Phoenix Splash to win the tag titles! (***1/4. A good tag match here as they didn’t over do it with high spots, in my opinion. They had a series of hot pace action and then would slow it down to a traditional match and go back and forth rather nicely.) After the match, Strong shoves Generico before walking out of the ring.

Main Event: PWG World Champion Human Tornado vs. Chris Hero in a Steel Cage Guerrilla Warfare Match: Hero dropkicks the door into Tornado and Tornado crashes into the first three rows to give the match a big start! Hero is ramming the door into Tornado and kicks the door into the champ! Hero tosses Tornado into a few fans in the front row. Hero is dominating Tornado on the floor with chops and rams the champ face first into a chair before grabbing a crutch. Tornado is able to send Hero head first into the cage. Tornado is working over Hero with several shots with a chair. Tornado has brought a table out from under the ring. Hero avoids a chair shot and knocks the champ down with a palm strike. Tornado hits Hero with a chair and Tornado is on the top of the stage. Tornado leaps off and misses a somersault dive and crashes through the table! Hero stomps a chair against the champs head. Hero has tossed several chairs into the ring. They have finally entered the cage. Hero puts a chair over Tornado before delivering a senton splash. Hero rams Tornado head first into the cage and slams the champ onto four chairs for a near fall. Hero misses a top rope senton splash and lands on the chairs.! Tornado rams a chair into Hero’s knee several times. Tornado brings a trash can into the ring but is met with a chair shot from Hero once he returns. The champ stops Hero with a backbreaker across his bad knee. Hero is trapped inside the trash can and Tornado hits the can with a chair. Tornado comes off the top with an elbow drop onto the trash can for a near fall on a bloody Hero! Hero is sent several times into the cage and Tornado delivers a chair shot. A bloody Hero is tossing anything he can at Tornado to fight back. Hero is in the corner when Tornado delivers a kick but Hero again hits him with the trash can. Hero struggles to the top rope and Tornado tosses a chair at Hero cause Hero to be trapped in a tree of woe with the pressure on his bad leg. The champ mocks Hero as he kicks him in the corner, but Hero is clearly getting pissed. Hero wants more kicks and Tornado does just that, but they have no impact on him. Hero knocks Tornado out with a roaring elbow! Hero splashes Tornado in the corner and hits a flipping neckbreaker for a near fall. Hero grinds the champs face into the cage! Both men are busted wide open. Hero rams Tornado head first into the cage. Hero is choking Tornado and is demanding the champ to give up but the champ doesn’t give in. Hero has Tornado over his shoulder as he rams the champ into the side of the cage. Tornado runs into another roaring elbow and Hero hits a spinning neckbreaker for a near win! Tornado low blows Hero as he goes for a suplex. Tornado takes Hero over with a suplex but the referee is knocked out by Hero on accident as the challenger had a chair in hand. Tornado covers but the referee is knocked out and can’t make the count. Claudio Castagnoli comes out and gets in the cage. Claudio hits the Ricola Bomb on Hero and a new referee comes out but Hero kicks out at two! Claudio decides to knock out the second referee with an uppercut and puts the referee shirt on! Tornado suplexs Hero onto two chairs but kicks out at two. Hero is put on Claudio’s shoulders as Necro Butcher comes out and hits Tornado with a trash can. Butcher sends Claudio into the cage and puts the referee shirt on! Hero sets three chairs up and slams Tornado off the top onto the chairs! Hero covers but Tornado kicks out as Claudio breaks the cover up! Butcher and Claudio are brawling on the floor now. Butcher has tossed Claudio outside of the building! The champ low blows Hero! Candice LeRae has entered the ring and is shoved by Tornado. Candice jumps on Tornado and kisses the champ! Tornado tosses her down and fans call him a faggot for doing so. Um, they are doing the kissing spot again and it appears they have reunited! Candice turns on Tornado and low blows Tornado with a chair on the top! Candice his the DND off the top rope! Hero has the champ and hits the Hero’s Welcome to win the match! (****. Not only was this a damn good match, but it told a great story. Hero would do anything to beat Tornado and it was captured incredibly well. I’ve never seen Tornado play a heel role, but he is an excellent heel and this match was just wonderful. A great brawl that goes on for over a half-hour but it’s totally worth it. A great job by those involved in the feud and in the blow-off. I got interested in this match thanks to a YouTube video highlighting their feud. What a way to close a show.)

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The 411: The middle portion of the show was fairly boring or uninteresting, but from the fifth match on this show had some quality action throughout with a great main event. For the first PWG show I've ever watched from beginning to end, I enjoyed it. I look forward to watching more PWG shows in the future. This one gets a thumbs up from me.
Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]